What do you get when you cross the month of September, moms, dads, kids, and new books? You guessed it – the beginning of a new school year (if you took the summer off). Aren’t you excited at the thought of new things and revisiting the subjects and topics you already know and love?
There is something bittersweet about the beginning of a new year, because it means your young ones are a year older, another year of your life is past, summer is over, and winter is on its way, new curriculum decisions – but ohhhhhh the anticipation!
How do you celebrate the beginning of your school year or the end of your summer? Do you take field trips to nearby locations, or wrap up the summer with a family vacation? Do you have a homeschool retreat with a group of your peers so you can plan and share? Maybe you have a picnic with your coop or maybe you just spend your time pouring over your new curriculum and writing lesson plans, mixed with trips to the library for your unit studies.
A new school year means different things to everyone (“busy season” to us). Now that you have begun or are about to begin, what does this year hold for you? I have enjoyed reading some of your comments on facebook about the start of your year – introducing subjects one at a time, hitting the books on the first day with excited learners (and even students with attitudes). Maybe you are trying new curriculum just for a change of pace, or you decided to “do” one of your subjects with a fellow homeschooler. You might even have made the decision to let your older students help with the teaching this year. Whatever your year looks like, I hope you found something that will really spark interest for you and your students.
Trying new things can spawn a lot of questions, and that is where we at Rainbow Resource can help. A lot of you were curious this summer as you were planning and we heard from you by e-mail (consultants@rainbowresource.com), phone (888-841-3456) and live chat (what a hit!). We hope that the information we were able to provide made your planning a bit easier.
Don’t forget us now that your school year is under way. If you have questions about the curriculum you are using or curriculum you might use – give us a call. Many new products have been introduced this past year to complement your teaching style and your child’s learning style. We are constantly adding new curriculum and learning about them for your future use. Remember, this may be the beginning of this year, but you will be looking toward the end of it and where to go for the beginning of the next. There is never just an end or beginning – they always come in pairs.
We here at Rainbow wish you a very blessed and productive school year as you settle into your routine – no matter what you did to kick it off or what you’ve decided to do differently. It is always fun to start something new, but even more satisfying to finish up well!
One of my favorite verses is found in Ecclesiastes: “More blessed is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof.” This is my hope and prayer for your school year.
— Donna Krahn
